In 1993 a new mathematics education program was implemented at Utah State University (Logan) in a cooperative effort of the university's Department of Elementary Education and Department of Mathematics and Statistics. The program is designed to increase teacher awareness and classroom utilization of teaching strategies that develop pupil understanding and appreciation of relationships between mathematical concepts and real-life experience or phenomena. As part of the evaluation program, a longitudinal study is being conducted to identify the degree to which course goals and objectives are successful. The first phase describes the development, implementation, and evaluation of the preservice mathematics teaching strategies course and uses a mixed-method analysis strategy to generate criteria and variables used to assess relevant instructional practice. The second phase, to be undertaken in 1995, will describe and evaluate the degree to which course participants implement relevant instructional practices in their respective classes. Results from the first phase indicate that the mixed-method, data consolidation/merging analysis strategy (V. J. Caracelli and J. C. Green, 1993) is an appropriate model for studying relevant instructional practice. Four criteria were identified that may define relevant instructional practice, and two variables were identified as important considerations for phase 2 data collection and analysis. Three tables present study findings. (Contains 21 references.) (Author/SLD)